


Time After Time (The Heat Induced Remix)

by Polomonkey



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Knotting, M/M, Male Lactation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical Kink, Nipple Play, Porn With Plot, Reincarnation, Romance, True Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 02:46:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11282166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polomonkey/pseuds/Polomonkey
Summary: Arthur knows exactly who the omega waiting in his clinic is. He'd know him in any lifetime.





	Time After Time (The Heat Induced Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kitty_fic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty_fic/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The One with the Heat-Induced Lactation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8284718) by [kitty_fic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty_fic/pseuds/kitty_fic). 



> Dearest Kitty, thank you so much for giving me free run of your fics, I greatly enjoyed all of them but knew I had to remix this one from the start. I hope you like what I've done with it, thank you for the inspiration!  
> Also thank you so much to the mods for their patience as I flailed! And especially to Clea, who gave me spot on advice and saved this story from going down a blind alley.
> 
> Warnings: I've not tagged this dub con as Arthur and Merlin are operating under a pre-agreed arrangement. But this may be triggering to some, so please be warned and don't read if that's not your cup of tea. Full spoilery warnings at end.

Arthur hopes today is the day.

His memories had only come back a week ago. He’d had to take a few days off from the clinic, to give him time to process the shock. But shock had turned into anticipation as the week had worn on. From past experience, Arthur knows his memories only come back when he’s about to be reunited with Merlin.

His first day back at work, he walks across campus to get lunch and then stops dead in the middle of the square. A smell is filling his senses, so strong he can barely breathe.

It’s Merlin.

He looks around desperately, but there are hundreds of students milling around and he can’t pick out a familiar face. The crowd disperses and the scent with it, but Arthur knows he wasn’t mistaken. Merlin’s here, on campus.

Arthur assumes he doesn’t know yet. Only once had they remembered simultaneously – whilst fucking in a barn in Poland in the sixteenth century. Because that’s the other thing. Pretty much the only way to trigger the memory of the one who doesn’t remember is, well… by making them come.

Arthur has no idea why this is. Perhaps it’s destiny’s idea of a laugh. But through their last fourteen lifetimes, it’s proved shockingly consistent. Around the fourth or fifth lifetime they made a pact. The one who remembered would seduce the other one for the greater good of their reunion, despite the dishonesty they both felt about not being upfront. It’s worked surprisingly well since then.

There’s one other thing Arthur knows about Merlin’s scent. It means he’s an omega this time around. It varied from life to life; sometimes Arthur was omega and Merlin alpha, sometimes they were both the same, sometimes betas, or any combination thereof. But, Arthur realises with a little tingle, he hasn’t been an alpha and Merlin an omega since…

Since Camelot. Since their very first life together.

Standing alone in the campus square, Arthur’s hit by a wave of memories so strong it nearly knocks him down. Their first kiss, their first knotting, their handfasting… So much happiness and love. Arthur wants it back, he doesn’t want to wait a day longer.

But he has no choice. Life carries on and so Arthur finds himself back at the clinic the next morning, trying his best to concentrate. This is only his first month of placement and he’s been working like a dog to make a good impression – a reference from Livington University carries weight at the best hospitals in the country. That was pre the sensing of Merlin though – and isn’t it funny how whatever seems important in his life always just melts away when his memories of Merlin come back?

Still, Arthur takes his oath as a med student seriously. He tries his best to give his full attention to his patients but it’s an uphill struggle and he’s relieved when lunchtime comes around.

He walks into reception with his lunch bag to say goodbye to Gwen (not Camelot’s Gwen, sadly, though the name always makes him smile to hear) and then stops dead in his tracks.

Merlin is here. He can smell it, so strongly it’s making him dizzy.

“Is there a patient waiting?” he asks.

“Yes, lactating all over the place, poor dear,” Gwen says sympathetically. “Don’t worry, I know it’s your lunch, I’ll give him to Dr Cooper-”

“No!” Arthur says, far too loudly. “I mean… I just came out to say I’m taking a late lunch today. So I can take him.”

Gwen looks a little surprised but nods.

“Room three.”

Arthur accepts the file and walks to the door in a daze, the scent growing stronger and stronger. He pauses for a minute, overwhelmed with emotion, then enters the room.

Merlin’s sat on the bed, and God he looks just the same as the first time they met. Those big blue eyes, that smooth pale skin. His hair is in disarray, like he just tumbled out of bed, and Arthur has to restrain from ruffling it, or reaching out to tuck a strand behind Merlin’s ear.

The modern clothes are a little jarring, as they always are: sweatpants and a hoodie, though Arthur can’t help but note the Livington colours of red and gold with a rush of love, thinking of Camelot. Then he notices the dark spots on the hoodie and remembers why he’s here, just as he sees Merlin bare his neck.

He can see the frustration in Merlin’s face immediately after and knows exactly what he’s thinking. Even back in Camelot when there was no omega rights movement to speak of, Merlin had never been one to submit to an alpha on reflex. In fact, he was more likely to get himself chased by an angry knight or guard for completely refusing to show any respect. Arthur always loved him for that, even when he’d had to protest for propriety’s sake (and it was safe to say his token objections had been roundly discarded by Merlin).

He hears Merlin’s quiet curse and wants to reassure him that he isn’t losing it; that there's a reason he feels this unconscious connection. But he can’t risk it. He knows from personal experience the difficulty of trying to tell a person something before they’re ready to hear it. Not only was it futile, it was occasionally downright dangerous too. Merlin had once hit Arthur in the face with a frying pan for insisting they were soulmates; while Arthur had tried to dangle Merlin out of a window by his ankles for doing the same.

Instead he clears his throat and speaks.

“Hello, Merlin,” he says, struggling to sound smooth, as if saying Merlin’s name again doesn’t set off fireworks inside him. “I’m Doctor Pendragon. What seems to be the problem?”

Merlin looks distinctly unimpressed with that, since the problem is of course perfectly obvious. Arthur has to bite his cheeks not to smile at the all too familiar look on his partner’s face.

“I.. when I woke up this morning, I was…”

Merlin points to his chest, clearly unwilling to articulate the problem, and Arthur doesn’t want to drag out his obvious discomfort.

“Let’s see then,” he says quickly, motioning at Merlin’s chest. He can’t tear his eyes away as Merlin strips, revealing that lovely pale chest, those perfect pink nipples.

Nipples that are swollen and quite clearly sensitive if Merlin’s slight whimper is anything to go by. Arthur remembers well how sensitised they used to be near Merlin’s heat, how he could coax a moan out of Merlin by just brushing past him sometimes.

Right now Merlin’s nipples are stiff with arousal, milk already welling up. Arthur feels awed. Merlin used to lactate on occasion in Camelot, but not usually as much as this, only a few drops during heat breedings.

But he himself has been before where Merlin is now. One lifetime as an omega he lactated consistently through every heat, and loved nothing more than for Merlin to milk him slowly while he fucked him from behind, the double sensation creating some of the most mind blowing orgasms he’s ever had. He wonders if Merlin’s feeling that same longing now, that desperate need for touch and relief.

It’s fair to say that Merlin looks beautiful like this, even if he seems nothing but embarrassed. Arthur wishes he could offer some words of comfort and love, but he settles for just nodding and moving in closer.

More milk beads up, possibly a reaction to Arthur’s scent. It begins to slide down Merlin’s chest and Arthur reaches out to squeeze Merlin’s left nipple between his fingers.

It’s not an entirely selfish impulse. Arthur remembers well enough that Merlin’s nipples were a quick way to his arousal, and the sooner he comes, the sooner they can talk at last. He tugs a little and more milk forms. Merlin whines and Arthur realises he’s not far off his heat, perhaps only hours. His eyes have that same glassy sheen they always used to get, and the outline of his cock is clearly visible through his sweatpants.

Almost compulsively, Arthur tastes the milk on his fingertips. It’s a test that omega clinicians regularly do – taste is the most accurate way to judge an oncoming heat – but it’s never felt as charged as this before.

Merlin tastes so sweet. Almost exactly like he used to, in those scant drops Arthur sampled in that first lifetime.

He’s also looking a little wide eyed so Arthur affects a reassuring tone.

“Your heat is close. I can taste it on you.”

“I know,” Merlin says, “but I’ve never leaked like this.”

It's because of Arthur. Whether or not Merlin realised it, his body knew his true mate was near.

“Increased milk supply isn’t uncommon,” Arthur says, as calmly as possible for how shaky he feels. “But it may be beneficial to perform some hormone tests to be sure.”

“Okay,” Merlin says, only looking slightly nervous. “What do I need to do?”

Arthur pauses, unable to think of what to say. He knows what he’d do in a real professional exam but his aim here is to make Merlin come as quickly as possible. But he needs it to seem like part of a normal procedure, so Merlin isn’t frightened or upset.

This part always feels icky, no matter how often they discuss it after. Ultimately one of them always knows more than the other, and there’s an inherent imbalance of power in that. They both just have to trust each other and remember that they agreed to have it this way. In every life they check back on that agreement, like some old school version of what people nowadays are calling kink contracts.

All that considered, Arthur thinks nipple stimulation is the best way to go. It’s always worked before, Merlin’s close to his heat, and in this lifetime he seems more sensitive to it than ever.

Mind made up, he pulls a cup from his pocket.

“I’ll need to express some of your milk to be tested,” he says, moving in to take hold of Merlin’s right nipple.

He holds it against Merlin’s chest while he rolls the nipple between his fingers. He pinches it a little and the milk soon starts to flow, running down into the cup.

Merlin looks flushed, his breathing heavy. As Arthur tugs a little harder, he moans.

“Wait, please…. It’s too much.”

Arthur tries to project some comfort through his scent as he gently presses Merlin to lie back on the table.

“You’re doing so well,” he says sincerely.

Merlin arches his back involuntarily, sweat beads starting to form at his temples.

“That’s it,” Arthur encourages. “Let it go. Just like that.”

“Stop, please…” Merlin says, biting down on his lip. “I’m too close to my heat. I’m going to…”

It’s hard not to stop when Merlin asks him to, so very hard. But Arthur knows he’s close to the edge so he soothes him a little, hand patting his chest.

“That’s good, Merlin,” he says softly. “That’s perfect. It will benefit the test. Feel free to come at any time. It will ensure a stronger hormone reading.”

Merlin’s arching even more into him, his nipples painfully erect and leaking everywhere. His cock is pressing up against his sweatpants and he’s making little noises of arousal.

He’s so close, Arthur can recognise it in his face, and he pulls a little harder, kneading both nipples beneath his hands.

“Just a little more,” he whispers.

Merlin bucks up desperately and then, with one startled moan, comes.

Arthur steps back immediately, heart racing. What if this is the one time it’s different? What if Merlin doesn’t remember?

Merlin shudders through the aftershock, eyes tightly closed. When he opens them again he looks directly at Arthur and then blinks rapidly.

“Merlin?” Arthur says anxiously.

Merlin sits up on the bed slowly, in perfect silence. He looks down at his hands, then his feet, then at Arthur again.

“You bastard!” he shouts and launches himself into Arthur’s arms.

Totally unprepared, Arthur half-catches him and then falls over, Merlin on his chest. The air is knocked out of him and he can only gasp to regain it for a few seconds. Merlin is already pressing kisses onto his face, his hair, hands grabbing at Arthur’s body as if he can’t believe it’s real.

When Arthur can breathe again, he stills Merlin by taking hold of his chin and tugging him down for a long, lingering kiss. Merlin calms on top of him, hands coming up to stroke through Arthur’s hair.

When Merlin finally pulls back they just look at each other for a moment, taking everything in.

“I was sure I would come back first this time,” Merlin says at last.

“You’ve had the last two times, greedy,” Arthur says automatically and they both grin.

“Last time I saw you…”

It had been a peaceful death, unlike some of the others. Arthur had gone into hospital with chest pains aged eighty five. The last memory he had was falling asleep on the ward that night, Merlin holding his hand.

“How long?” Arthur asks.

“Three years,” Merlin says, his eyes bright. “I stayed in the bungalow though; the Coles next door did it up for me.”

“Did they look out for you?” Arthur says softly.

“Didn’t need to,” Merlin says, smiling through the tears. “I got myself a toy boy.”

Arthur smacks him on the arse for that, laughing. He knows Merlin would never find another, nor has he, even in those horrible lifetimes where one of them goes much too soon.

They’ve come to rely on neighbours, in the last few lives. They’d both agreed never to have children in any life, for there was no guarantee they would return and the heartbreak would be too much. But friends, they’ve had many. They’ve been blessed in that.

Merlin gets down off Arthur’s chest and snuggles up to him and they lie there for a while, just catching up. Arthur has the presence of mind to call Gwen and tell her to cancel all his appointments as this consult will be a long one. They share Arthur’s lunch, feeding it to each other, drunk on rediscovered love.

Then Merlin starts to shiver and Arthur realises he’s still topless and begins to reach for the discarded hoodie.

“Not cold,” Merlin says. “It’s my heat.”

Arthur had almost forgotten.

“Shit, yes, drink some more water,” he says, shoving the bottle at Merlin. “We need to get you home.”

But Merlin makes no move to stand.

“Or…” he says innocently.

Arthur’s mouth drops open.

“We’re in a doctor’s office!” he hisses.

“Like that stopped you before,” Merlin smirks.

“I didn’t have a choice you… you minx.”

“Oh come on, they’ve cancelled all your appointments. Door’s locked.”

“Merlin-”

“Besides, I’m feeling a little woozy.”

Merlin puts a theatrical hand to his forehead.

“Might not make it home. Perhaps if we just took the edge off here…”

Arthur knew he was going to agree the moment Merlin first suggested it but he still makes his errant partner finish the bottle of water first.

“Alright, minx,” he says, scooping him up in his arms. “Where do you want it?”

“You mean like on my body, or-”

“Merlin! I meant where in the room!”

“Sorry,” Merlin says, not looking so sorry at all. “Back on the table?”

Arthur lays Merlin down and then climbs on up himself. For a minute they just kiss again and then Merlin shivers, much harder than before.

“Oh, oh,” he says, voice suddenly low. “I need…”

Arthur is already pulling down the sweatpants, taking Merlin’s boxers along with them. He instantly hardens seeing Merlin fully naked again; with his perfect little arse and his cock still sticky with come from before.

Merlin’s nipples are leaking again. Arthur fastens his mouth around them, sucks eagerly. Merlin’s hips buck up and he groans loudly as Arthur licks and laves them with his tongue.

He tastes even better than before. Arthur worries the left nipple between his teeth before biting down softly and Merlin nearly launches off the table.

“Take your clothes off,” he gasps out and Arthur sits up and strips as quickly as he can, clothes flying through the air. Merlin gives a pleased, proprietary hum when he sees Arthur’s cock; the knot already swelling slightly.

“You ever knotted anyone?”

“No, I was waiting,” Arthur says breathlessly. “I didn’t know what for but…”

“Me too,” Merlin says, eyes crinkling. “It never felt right.”

Sometimes when they meet they’ve each had partners before, and neither wastes much time on jealousy. They don’t want the other to be lonely before they arrive.

But there’s something special about this – not least because, like so many other things this time around, they were both virgins for their first time in Camelot too.

Arthur draws Merlin in for a kiss, then reaches one hand around to Merlin’s hole. It’s already slick, and Merlin easily accepts Arthur’s finger inside him.

“God, yes,” he pants and Arthur adds another, pulling Merlin into his lap so he can reach better.

Merlin is so warm inside, so open and inviting. Arthur fingers him slowly for a while, enjoying the gradual stretch. Merlin gasps against his shoulder, occasionally biting down onto Arthur’s skin as another shiver rips through him.

“More please,” he says after a while and Arthur obliges, pushing in another. Merlin sighs and shifts on Arthur’s fingers.

“I’m gonna-”

“Go ahead,” Arthur says softly but Merlin shakes his head determinedly.

“Want your knot.”

The words send a jolt of heat through Arthur and he scrambles to comply, pulling out his fingers and manoeuvring them both till they’re lying side by side; Merlin’s back to Arthur’s chest. They’ll be knotted a while and Arthur wants to be in a position comfortable for both of them.

He kisses the back of Merlin’s neck and then grips the base of his cock.

“Ready?”

“Mmm.”

Arthur guides himself inside, nerves on fire as he feels the grip of tight heat around his aching cock. Merlin lets out a soft cry, another shiver running through him as he’s entered.

“You feel so good, I can’t believe I forgot…”

Arthur can’t believe he did either. How could he ever forget this, the exquisite slide and thrust of their bodies? The unity he always felt with Merlin; the connection so strong that it was almost as though they moved as one.

He starts to move, rocking in and out of Merlin, careful not to go too fast. Merlin may have opened up fast but neither of them have had sex in these bodies, he doesn’t want to push too far. He reaches round to stroke at Merlin’s cock but Merlin bats his hand away.

“I’ll come…”

“Isn’t that the point?” Arthur teases but he moves his hand back and speeds up slightly. In truth, he doesn’t know how long he can go without spilling either, it all feels so intense and overwhelming.

Merlin’s hole is clenching around him, his back arching. Arthur can feel his knot beginning to swell and he thrusts a little deeper, knowing it won’t be long now.

“Arthur, ah…”

Merlin’s head tips back and he’s orgasming, hole tightening impossibly around Arthur as he gasps out his release. Arthur keeps going a little longer, then he reaches over to feel the stickiness of Merlin’s nipples and suddenly he’s coming like a teenager, loud and fast.

He feels himself empty inside of Merlin and his knot expands, sealing them together. Merlin sighs in satisfaction, wriggling against Arthur.

“Not too full?”

“No-o,” Merlin says, stretching like a cat. “Just right.”

Arthur wraps his arms around Merlin, burying his nose in Merlin’s hair.

“I love you,” he says, and feels the pure thrill of saying it for the first time in this life.

“I love you too,” Merlin says sleepily. “Even with that stupid noise you make when you come.”

Arthur nips his shoulder for that, snorting.

“At least something’s consistent in every lifetime,” he points out and Merlin laughs.

“Yes. So here’s to a good one.”

Arthur couldn’t agree more.

**Author's Note:**

> Full warnings: Arthur has to make Merlin come to make him remember their past lives and this is a power imbalance, even though they've both agreed on it previously.


End file.
